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		<h1>Making Sense of the 2014 Budget</h1>
        <p>July 14, 2014</p>	<div>
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<div style="word-wrap:break-word;padding-bottom:7px">There is a first time for everything. In 2014, the animal welfare movement in NC finds itself monitoring the Budget with puppy mill regulations rather than a bill. So how did we get here?<br><br>During the long session in 2013, Rep. Jason Saine put forward a bill that would provide simple standards for commercial dog breeders. In fact, they were the AKC's own standards right off their website, yet they still opposed the bill (that is an entirely different blog)! Originally, the bill would have been under the Animal Welfare Section of the Department of Ag and would have provided licensing and inspection. When it became clear that the Department of Agriculture would not support this concept, HB 930 was born. The bill had enforcement of simple standards at the county level with no licensing or inspection, just standards of care. HB 930 passed the House with overwhelming support. The Senate was a different story.&nbsp;<br><br>The Senate rejected HB 930 on the grounds that varied, depending on who you spoke with about it. Even though this bill comprised of standards for commercial breeders of dogs only, the Senate claimed it would impact agriculture. They also said laws were not needed because current laws were sufficient and that it was the camel's nose under the tent, meaning that if this bill passed the animal welfare movement would pass even more bills. This is likely the more irrational argument of all given.&nbsp;<br><br>Throughout this process, Governor McCrory and the First Lady have been outspoken on the need for regulations for commercial dog breeders in NC. When the 2013 session came and went without the passage of HB 930, Governor McCrory put forward a proposal of his own. His plan would move the Animal Welfare Section out from under the Department of Ag and place it with the Department of Public Safety, separating farm animals and companion animals. The Animal Welfare Section regulates our animal shelters. The plan also changed the current definition of dealer to include commercial dog breeders so they would fall under the Animal Welfare Section for regulation and inspection. Dealers are people that sell dogs and cats to pet stores and research labs. They are a very small number, but regulated in NC.&nbsp;<br><br>The House altered the Governor's plan slightly, put it in the 2014 Budget Amendment and passed it again with overwhelming support. The Senate now had two proposals for consideration to protect puppies from unscrupulous breeders (puppy mills). The Amendment is supported by the Department of Agriculture, NC House, Governor and First Lady McCrory, the majority of North Carolinians, and the &nbsp; Department of Public Safety. It opposed by a few fringe groups - the AKC, the Senate and ethical breeders who have been falsely misguided to believe this will affect their businesses.<br><br>One of the arguments the fringe groups have made to stall the Budget Amendment is that the Department of Agriculture is run by veterinarians and the Animal Welfare Section must stay in under their roof or there will be no veterinarian oversight. This is not exactly true. The Animal Welfare Section Director is traditionally a veterinarian. That position will transfer with the Animal Welfare Section to Department of Public Safety. The other veterinarians with the Department of Agriculture are food and large animal veterinarians. Yes, there is a state veterinarian, but he is not under the Animal Welfare Section currently and only consulted when needed just as he would be by the Department of Public Safety.<br><br>There is no legitimate reason not to move the Budget Amendment through and finally provide some regulations for commercial dog breeders. So now we wait. The House has presented their Budget with the Amendment included, the Senate has presented their Budget with the Amendment excluded. This is actually the normal process. There are many items that our House and Senate do not agree on, but the good news is that the Amendment that regulates commercial breeders is the number one contingency for the House. That means that they will accept the changes that the Senate made to the Budget as long as they add the Amendment to regulate commercial breeders. The Senate has already declined this request. It is hard to understand why they don't want to protect puppies, but as of today, they don't. We will continue to support the House in their negotiations and ask that you, the constituents, please continue to email the Conferees and ask them to protect dogs and puppies in NC by passing the amendment to regulate commercial dog breeders.<br><br>When will this end? We don't know. It is likely that we will know something firm in the next couple of weeks. If this Amendment does not pass, we will have to start all over again in January with a new bill. How long before the thousands of dogs and puppies in breeding facilities in NC will have standards in place? When will we not have to wait to take action until there is unjustifiable pain and suffering?&nbsp;<br><br>Please email the Conferees today:&nbsp;<br><br><a href="mailto:Harry.Brown@ncga.state.nc.us" target="_blank">Harry.Brown@ncga.state.nc.us</a><br><a href="mailto:Tom.Apodaca@ncga.state.nc.us" target="_blank">Tom.Apodaca@ncga.state.nc.us</a><br><a href="mailto:Phil.Berger@ncga.state.nc.us" target="_blank">Phil.Berger@ncga.state.nc.us</a><br><a href="mailto:Andrew.Brock@ncga.state.nc.us" target="_blank">Andrew.Brock@ncga.state.nc.us</a><br><a href="mailto:Kathy.Harrington@ncga.state.nc.us" target="_blank">Kathy.Harrington@ncga.state.nc.us</a><br><a href="mailto:Ralph.Hise@ncga.state.nc.us" target="_blank">Ralph.Hise@ncga.state.nc.us</a><br><a href="mailto:Neal.Hunt@ncga.state.nc.us" target="_blank">Neal.Hunt@ncga.state.nc.us</a><br><a href="mailto:Brent.Jackson@ncga.state.nc.us" target="_blank">Brent.Jackson@ncga.state.nc.us</a><br><a href="mailto:Wesley.Meredith@ncga.state.nc.us" target="_blank">Wesley.Meredith@ncga.state.nc.us</a><br><a href="mailto:Louis.Pate@ncga.state.nc.us" target="_blank">Louis.Pate@ncga.state.nc.us</a><br><a href="mailto:Bill.Rabon@ncga.state.nc.us" target="_blank">Bill.Rabon@ncga.state.nc.us</a><br><a href="mailto:Shirley.Randleman@ncga.state.nc.us" target="_blank">Shirley.Randleman@ncga.state.nc.us</a><br><a href="mailto:Bob.Rucho@ncga.state.nc.us" target="_blank">Bob.Rucho@ncga.state.nc.us</a><br><a href="mailto:Dan.Soucek@ncga.state.nc.us" target="_blank">Dan.Soucek@ncga.state.nc.us</a><br><a href="mailto:Jerry.Tillman@ncga.state.nc.us" target="_blank">Jerry.Tillman@ncga.state.nc.us</a><br><a href="mailto:Tommy.Tucker@ncga.state.nc.us" target="_blank">Tommy.Tucker@ncga.state.nc.us</a></div>
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